US. What were your motivations for taking on such a challenge?

RB. I felt that my life was essentially a soft life. I had all I needed, and I still wanted more of course but I didn't need any of it. To be made aware that people still do not drink fresh water and have to carry it in buckets on their heads awoke a feeling in me that the world was terribly unbalanced and that I had been lucky enough to live on the uptown end of things all my life. It was time to payback.

US. What preparation did you undertake prior to travelling to Ghana?

RB. I pulled my bicycle out of the garage and took it to the shop for a service, and start taking it out around Brighton where I live. The Downs are immediately behind my house so I was cycling to Lewes, along the coast to Worthing and Littlehampton and later in Los Angeles on a rented bike. I was sent an Evolve saddle and I thought it looked pretty odd, but had it attached to my bike immediately. I was unhappy with my handlebars too, which were upside-down racing bars which were killing my thumbs especially up on the Downs, so I had a BMX handlebar put onto my bike. All in all my bike is an interesting looking hybrid !  
But essentially I cycled long distances when I could. In LA I was cycling from Venice Beach down the South Bay to Torrance - 17 miles - and back, all on flat cycle path, but in 80 degrees so I felt it was some preparation. However when we started cycling in Ghana, I was soon out of my depth with the sheer amount of hills. 
I also did all the jabs except rabies.

US. What were your biggest fears going into the challenging surroundings?

RB. Rabies ! But I didn't have any fears really.

US. Did you use any specialist equipment to help you through?

RB. If the Evolve saddle is specialist equipment then yes, but I don't see it as such. It's just the next level. We would get onto the bike at 7.30am when the day was cool and cycle until lunch around midday (with a couple of water/banana/peanut stops) by which time we were exhausted, broken and in dire need of food and shelter from the sun. The saddle is comfortable and has no pressure point, and is also allows air circulation around the hind quarters (bonus!) so my most pressing problem was my bruised right palm and the bike itself which did not have raised handlebars or allow for same.

US. What do you see as your biggest achievement throughout the experience?

RB. Reaching my limit and going past it every day, using mental strength and forcing the body to carry on.  The hill on the last day was troubling as by then my hand was fu****, so I was proud of staying in the saddle on Day Six.

US. What would you do differently next time?

RB. I would train properly especially on hills. I was totally unprepared and unready for what turned into a massive physical ordeal.

US. Will there be a next time?

RB. Yes.

US. How did Louella find the saddle from a women's perspective?

RB. She did say on Day Three that the saddle was the only part of her bike that she was happy with, and I felt the same way - my gears, handlebars, brakes and wheels were all poor. 

US. What do you believe to be the greatest benefits of using the saddle? Will you continue to use it?

RB. All of the rest of the group were passing round cream for their sore backsides, wearing nappies and generally coping with the extreme discomfort which comes from being in a standard saddle for seven to eight hours a day with the resulting sores and friction points. Louella and I had no such issues and we did try not to gloat. I did not wear padded shorts at all, and didn't need them.

US. What is next for you personally and professionally?

RB. Next I'm back to Los Angeles to see what fate brings me. I have five films in the can at present all awaiting release, from Dark Tide with Halle Berry to Jack The Giant Killer a 3-D fairy story. But first, The Brighton Beach Boys play our 10th anniversary gig at Komedia in Brighton on November 4th, and I'll be in Lewes for the legendary Nov. 5th celebration as I am every year.

You can read Ralph's blog here and also donate to the cause.